Checking in on Construction of UMaine’s New Emera Astronomy Center

The unique structure will seat 50 people and replaces the Jordan Planetarium.

When completed, it will be the largest planetarium and observatory in the state.

Contractors day visitors will feel like they are flying through outer space.

With a focus on STEM education in the Maine, this resource will benefit students on and off campus.

“What we realized is that we need to have highly trained young people if we are going to attract a high wage high productivity, high efficiency jobs here and attract those employers so this is part of that program and just like when we raised the beam and started that program last fall and invited all the young people here. We hope to do the same thing when the projects completed and attract a lot of young people here to show them engineering and science is fun,” said Karl Ward, President and CEO of Nickerson & O’Day, Inc.

The Emera Astronomy Center is expected to open in the fall.

Contractors say it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of more than 50 subcontractors, as well as a large scale anonymous donation, and funding from Emera Maine and UMaine.